We have reached the Holy Land! Everyone is safely and comfortably settled into St. George's Guesthouse in Jerusalem. Most of us slept on the flight from Paris, but those who kept their eyes open were treated to an incredible sight as we broke free of the clouds shrouding the city. A pure white tundra greeted us, rolling far as the eye could see.
Above the Clouds
by Paulina Muratore
Class of 2013, International Relations
Boston University
That wasn't the only spectacular sight - viewing the Alps from far above was just as beautiful. After four hours, we descended back into the clouds to land at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Landing in Tel Aviv
by Paulina Muratore
After yawning and shuffling our way through customs, we met one of our guides, Naim. Naim is Palestinian, an Arab-Christian, and an old friend of the Tobins. He went under for heart surgery only a few weeks ago, but still had the energy to make the trip out to greet us! He gave us a quick brief of what we are to experience for the next week and a half, and we began the hour-long bus ride to Jerusalem.
On the Bus
by MacLean Cadman
Naim was kind enough to point out the sites to us, including several former Palestinian villages along the way, and the American consulate and the Old City once we reached Jerusalem.
Upon settling into St. George's, we had a nice dinner - courtesy of the guesthouse staff - and moved to the chapel for a quick Compline service before everyone went off to do their own thing - namely, either sleep or wait till the New Year for a glass of champagne.
Welcome to Jerusalem
by Paulina Muratore
Tomorrow, it's to Bethlehem, visiting a vineyard and the Tent of Nations. We'll be planting olive trees in the afternoon, so for those of you who made contributions, thank you! We'll have our next post up soon. Happy New Year to all, and God bless!
~ MacLean Cadman
Class of 2012, Communications
Boston College
Smile at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv
by MacLean Cadman
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